A Pagan on the path of Discovery.. learning every day... At the same time a Wife, a Mother, staying at home working & teaching.
All in a peaceful rural area... outside of a small village in Wisconsin...

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Here is more on "Moon signs" - I got busy yesterday & lost track~Citrine~What are Moon Signs?Moon Signs help define our emotional development, or express the unconscious side of our personality. It explains why we do what we do. This is where we retreat for comfort, childhood memories, and peace. This can also be the place where anger, hate, jealousy and fear may be found.

The Moon also influences our senses depending on its placement in the birth chart. Most people will have their Moon in a Sign that is different from their Sun. This is why many people with the same Sun Sign can be so different from each other. They may feel that when they read a description of their Sign, that it is not representative of them. It may feel incomplete, or even completely inaccurate. Moon Signs may be a much more accurate description of what a person is like.

Moon SignsIf your Moon Sign is the same as your Sun Sign, you may find that it amplifies the traits of that Sign. This would make you a "double" of your Sign, such as a "double Gemini." The Moon also governs the heart, stomach, brain, bladder, bowels and the left eye. It has influence with the glands and fluids of the body.

The Moon is said to represent your instinctual self, which many people keep hidden. On points where your Sun and Moon Signs are compatible, they will work together to help you get through the hardships and accomplish your goals. Where they are not compatible, you will feel conflicting desires or be at odds with yourself in someRead more & use their Moon sign calculator to find your moon signhttp://www.alwaysastrology.com/moon-signs.html

~Citrine~Kitchen WitcheryKitchen Witchery is essentially the practice of witchcraft or folk-magic based in the kitchen or hearth of the home. The new rash of books on Kitchen Witchery may lead many to believe that it is a new practice, but magic in the kitchen and hearth goes back thousands of years and is practiced across cultures. Fire and stone ovens were thought to be magical with their trans-formative powers. In later centuries the large iron cauldron over the fire was the center of the hearth – where dinners were cooked, water boiled, and medicines made.

In peasant mythology the oven had a magic dimension, and ritual proprietors presided over the rising and baking of bread. Even the curdling of milk and the fermentation of wine were mediated through ‘spirits’ or elves in certain area where the Celtic substratum had left indelible traces. The oven was where food passed from the raw to the cooked state, and like all transitional places (chimneys, doors and so on) it held a powerful magic: the rising of dough was associated with the rise and ‘growth’ of the solar orb in the sky.” (Camporesi, The Magic Harvest, p.4)

The easiest way to see how important the processes of food making and agriculture were important to our ancestors is to look at their deities. There are numerous domestic and hearth deities across cultures (too many to list here), some of the more well-known ones being Brighid, Frigga, and Hestia. The Chinese have various deities whose specific role it is to watch over the stove or hearth such as Zao-Jun and Sui-Ren. There was even a specific Roman goddess Fornax whose role was to watch over bread baking and ovens. The list of agricultural deities is even longer.

Kitchen witchery is the continuing practice of domestic magic where for the practitioner, the mundane is magical. The stove, spoons, knives, pots, and ingredients are the magical tools. The rituals of the everyday are this witch’s magic. From our ancestors’ domestic rituals of baking bread, churning butter, brewing, and preserving to today’s rituals of preparing the daily meal, brewing a cup of tea, or making medicines – the role of the domestic witch hasn’t changed much over the centuries. A kitchen witch is obsessed with food and has a gift for cooking. They might have a large store of knowledge about the folklore and properties of different foods as well any rituals or superstitions surrounding them. They may be well-versed in rituals involving feasts and eating, which also go back thousands of years for various cultures and are part of many of our traditions today at celebrations. If witchcraft is practiced by a kitchen witch, then it is most likely to be done in the kitchen or through the medium of food. The pot boiling on the stove isn’t always edible; salves, decoctions, tinctures, and even candles are all made in the kitchen.sarahannelawless.com/

~Citrine~Jade (Nephrite)Crystal Healing Properties Jade is said to promote love, courage, justice, wisdom and self-sufficiency and is believed to be an emotional balancer.It is thought to release negative thoughts and to soothe the mind. Jade is a protective stone, said to protect the wearer from harm and to attract good luck and friendship.Green Jade is prized for its healing properties and over all feelings of well being.In China Jade has been highly esteemed and known to bring good luck, prosperity and abundance.Jade represents harmony and happiness in business and family. It can help one to feel connected to the earth and nature.Jade reminds us to stop and smell the flowers, touch someone you love and share your abundant heart with others.

Serpentine Stone is a strong stone known to stimulate the arousal of the kundalini energies. If you feel that there may be blockages in any of your chakras... this stone is a useful aid.Serpentine is a beautiful green stone found in south Africa known to have properties of healing and meditation. encourages the ability to solve problems with a peaceful mind.

Mentally and Emotionally: Assists in moving you into a heart-centered attitude towards humanity. Excellent stone for those who work in healing professions such as social work, teaching, nursing or coaching.

Physically: Place over your heart chakra. Brings to arthritis, asthma, als, aids, and other autoimmune diseases.

Spiritually: Aligns you with the energy of the great goddess. Can be used to awaken kundalini. Powerful and nurturing stones for energy healing work with each of the chakras, but the heart chakras and lower chakras benefit from the vibrations of these stones the most.

Green WitchcraftA green witch is someone who works closely with nature and her gifts. This witch is usually a wildcrafter, a herbalist, or an amazing gardener. The folklore on the spiritual and medicinal uses of plants is incredibly extensive and global, and it is this along with personal experience from which the green witch draws their knowledge and practices from. If the kitchen witch’s focus is the hearth, then the green witch’s focus is the woods and/or agriculture.

Our ancestors’ agricultural traditions and practices are steeped with folk-magic and pagan belief. Everything from planting seed, to the harvesting of crops in the fall is governed by rituals. Some farmers today still plant and reap by the phases of the moon. At various festivals the fields are sained with fire for protection, or given libations of alcoholic beverages to ensure fertility and a bountiful harvest. To our pagan ancestors, some crops were not just food but gods and were treated with reverence. In Northern Europe at the end of a harvest the last sheaf of wheat or other grain was kept and either named ‘Maiden’ or ‘Old Woman’, after Brighid or the Cailleach, and was placed in a spot of reverence, to observe the festivities after the harvest was complete. In animistic cultures each plant and tree was thought to be alive and have a spirit, and there were specific chants and songs that were sung when taking from the plants – asking their permission and giving thanks. Trees were once worshiped and if certain species were cut down without permission it was considered a crime — the penalty being death. Each tree even had its own specific deity.

Today a green witch may use some of the beliefs of our ancestors in their practices. Perhaps in methods of plant or herb collection, saining (blessing), prayers & chants, as well as the way they celebrate festivals.Most of the magic practiced by a green witch will involve herbs and plants in some way. They may also work with nature itself instead of just parts taken from it. Some green witches become guardians of a piece of land – protecting it, cleaning litter, healing wounds of the past, and working with the spirits and creatures that live on it.This is more likely the practice of a wildcrafter than a gardener. A wildcrafter harvests foods, herbs, and medicines from the wild, while also taking into account ecological ethics and responsibility.A green witch with a focus on herbalism will learn the spiritual, magical, and medicinal uses of various herbs and plants and incorporate them into their magical and healing practices. It is recommended to take a legitimate herbalist’s course if this is your desire – without the correct knowledge about preparation and dosage, one can do more harm than good with herbal medicines.sarahannelawless.com/

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Good Fortune, or something of great importance that you will treasure forever, gravitates towards you. You will have many good luck opportunities and may already have realized one great wish. There is no end to the fulfillment of many more dreams.

Your blessing cannot be prevented, because heaven and fate have preordained your great success.

If you sit under an Oak tree, you may see an angel sent to give you a message. You may instead hear an answer whispered in the rustling of the Oak's leaves or its hollow trunk.

Like the Oak, you are hardy and anchored by a network of roots. Those destined for you will come.

Certain types of herbal teas are especially beneficial for upset stomachs and dizzy spells. Ginger tea, peppermint tea, and spearmint tea have been found to be some of the most effective. To make ginger tea, steep chopped ginger root pieces in water, steep ground ginger spice in water, or buy pre-packaged ginger tea. You can also make spearmint or peppermint tea with the mint plant, mint essential oil, or store-bought mint teas. Victoria Zak, in "20,000 Secrets of Tea," recommends a mixed tea of ginger and peppermint. She says its warming and cooling effects play off each other, while both types calm your nausea and dizziness.

Ginger tea can be extremely effective for both dizziness and nausea. Ginger is known for relaxing the intestines. Zak says that ginger, peppermint and spearmint can all be beneficial for motion sickness, which has symptoms of both nausea and dizziness. Peppermint tea works because of its menthol content, which acts similarly to an anesthetic for the stomach. Spearmint has similar effects to peppermint, but is less strong and less expensive to grow.

History

Herbal teas and plants have been used medicinally throughout history. MedlinePlus explains that mint plants, including peppermint and spearmint, have been used medicinally since ancient times in Rome, Egypt and Greece. Peppermint was often used throughout history for its benefits related to nausea and digestive health. Ginger also has a long history. Zak explains that it has been used medicinally for more than 2,000 years. The World's Healthiest Foods shows that ginger was found in historical writings from Eastern cultures, including China and India. Like the mint plants, it has been used historically for its digestive health properties and other health benefits.

Expert Insight

Studies have been conducted on ginger to back up its long medicinal history. The World's Healthiest Foods shows research finding that ginger contains antioxidants and other healing properties. The World's Healthiest Foods also reports on double-blind studies where ginger was found to prevent motion sickness, which includes symptoms such as dizziness and nausea. One study compared ginger to over-the-counter and prescription motion sickness medicines, and found that ginger worked better.

-Valerian is only recommended for short-term use. However, be encouraged — it has been my experience that once the person rediscovers a healthy sleep pattern, the use of this tincture naturally decreases. And if the problem returns…a few more nights of taking the tincture again immediately helps to reestablish sleep.

-While Valerian is extremely useful for the majority of folks, there are those to which it has the reverse effect…making them restless. However, I will say that it is most definitely worth a try!

-Be warned…Valerian stinks. Everyone in my house knows when I’m straining the Valerian tincture! Although it stinks, it really has no taste. I love to administer this tincture in just a couple ounces of water.

Over low heat in a heavy bottom pot, simmer the herbs and water until it is reduced by half, so that you have one pint of liquid.

Strain the herbs out of the liquid, rinse chunks out of the pot, return the liquid to the pot.

For each pint of liquid, add one cup of honey. You may go up to a one to one ratio for a sweeter syrup (1 pint honey to 1 pint liquid).

Heat gently and mix until the syrup is well blended.

Add a small amount of brandy, if desired, to help preserve the syrup and act as a relaxant.

Remove from heat, bottle and label. This syrup should last for several weeks, even months, if refrigerated. (Most herbs have preservative qualities.)

Rosemary suggests taking 1 to 2 teaspoons every hour or two throughout the day, or as needed for cough.

This syrup has a mild licorice taste that is quite palatable. I think even kids would take it without a fuss. The tea recipe below has more of a kick.

Cold and Flu Tea Recipe

For one mug of tea use:

1/2 teaspoon dried ginger (spicy, warming, immune balancing)

1/2 teaspoon chopped sage (spicy, antihistamine)

1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme (spicy, antibiotic, antiviral)

1/4 teaspoon stevia leaves (or to taste )

Juice of half a lemon (sour, vitamin c)

A dash of cayenne pepper (hot, immune enhancing) [optional]

Place herbs in mug and cover with boiling water (leave enough room for your lemon juice). Cover and steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain herbs, mix in lemon juice and sip slowly. The warmth and natural antihistamine action of the herbs is great for congestion and runny noses. You can adjust the amount of the herbs a bit to taste. I was a little generous with the cayenne in the photo above – too hot for me! *Note: I had originally listed larger portions of the herbs, but with the dried herbs, I think these amounts will probably be better for most people. You can use more to taste.

Longer steeping will give a stronger brew, but if you leave it too long it may become more bitter, so no more than 15 minutes is recommended. Covering the tea while it’s brewing will help to trap “the good stuff”. BTW, Mountain Rose Herbs has a full line of tea infusers, strainer, pots and just about anything you can imagine using to make tea, like this pretty little tea press with built in infuser.

If you’re like me and have been reading about anti-viral and antibacterial herbs, and looking for more ways to get them into to your kids, you may want to give this recipe a try – or make your own variation. I infused immune boosting herbs in finger gelatin made with fruit juice. I thought about calling them “homemade flu shots”, after the infamous “jello shot”, but don’t want to get busted by some government agency. Call them what you like, and enjoy some extra anti-oxidants and cold and flu fighting herbs.

Which Herbs Boost the Immune System?

There are many herbs that boost the immune system, although not all of them are “jello-friendly”. For instance, I know garlic jello is just not going to fly. Body and Soul~Mind and Spirit lists arandanon, astraglaus, calendula, cat’s claw, echinacea, garlic, ginger, hyssop, sage, St. john’s Wort and turmeric. Everyday Health lists cinnamon (and carrots and grapefruit). Natural News lists echinacea, ginseng, garlic, bell peppers, ginger, turmeric, gingko biloba, ganaderma, astragalus and cat’s claw. Mint family plants such as peppermint and lemon balm are also anti-viral.

For ease of use, I grabbed some cinnamon sticks and dried ginger root, some mint leaves and echinacea tea. I encourage you to experiment with different combinations. Do always check for any drug interactions if you are on medication. Most common culinary herbs are pretty safe, but there are a lot of meds out there so it’s best to double check, especially if you’re consuming in quantity (meds or herbs or both).

Prepare hot ingredients – If using juice with herbs, place juice and herbs in medium saucepot and simmer for 10 minutes. If using tea, brew tea and let steep for 10 minutes, covered, then mix with juice in saucepot and heat to boiling.

Sprinkle gelatin over cold juice in large bowl; let stand 1 minute. Add hot juice and stir until gelatin dissolves completely, about 5 minutes. Stir in honey if desired. Pour into 13x9x2 inch pan. (Half batches can be molded in a bread pan or 9×9 pan.)

How to Make a Salve with Infused Oils

For each one ounce/30 ml of infused oil, measure out one tablespoon/15 ml of grated or granular beeswax. Place the infused oil in a small pot, add the beeswax. Frontier has some very ease to use beeswax pellets. They pack together more tightly than grated wax, so you should use a scant tablespoon (my first batch was on the thick side). Here’s a photo of the pellets. Note: once my pellets are gone, I think I’ll be getting some wafers from Mountain Rose Herbs, as they are less refined.

Place the pan on very low heat. Susun suggests a candle flame, but that didn’t seem very practical. I set the burner on my gas stove to its lowest setting.

Stir constantly until the beeswax is totally melted. This rarely takes more than a minute or two. I blinked and the pellets were gone. Pour the liquid into your ointment jar and allow it to cool and solidify. I ordered both one ounce and two once containers from Frontier. The one once containers were plastic with flip tops, the 2 ounce were glass with metal caps. Below is all the finished salve and the extra bottles of oil I kept as oil. I reuse old extract jars, but I also purchased some glass jars from Frontier. I sold some of these at the farmers market last year and also gave some as gifts. It was a terribly wet year and the mosquitoes were out in full force, so the salve was pretty popular.

If you find the consistency of your salve to be too hard, remelt it and add more infused oil. If it is too soft, remelt and add more beeswax.

Plantain is a perennial herb, thought to be of Eurasian origin and now naturalized throughout the world. Plantain is considered a common and noxious weed by some and a miracle plant by others.
Plantain Cultivation:

Plantain is very easy to cultivate, it succeeds in any soil and prefers a sunny position, some forms have been selected for their ornamental value. It is an important food plant for the caterpillars of many species of butterflies. Plantain grows from a short, tough rootstock or rhizome, which has a large number of long, straight, yellowish roots, is a basal, rosette of large, broadly oval, dark green, leaves. The 4 to 10 inch long smooth, thick, strong and fibrous leaves have 3 to 7 or more ribbed veins, abruptly contracting into a long, petiole (leaf stalk) which is reddish at the base. The leaf margin is of Plantain is entire, or unevenly toothed. The flower stalks, are erect, long, slender, densely-flowered spikes. Each tiny flower is brownish and bell-shaped with four stamens and purple anthers. Flowers bloom most of the summer. The fruit is a two-celled capsule and containing four to sixteen seeds. Harvest fresh young edible leaves in spring. Gather Plantain after flower spike forms, dry for later herb use.

Plantain Medicinal Properties and Herbal Use: Plantain is edible and medicinal, the young leaves are edible raw in salad or cooked as a pot herb, they are very rich in vitamin B1 and riboflavin. The herb has a long history of use as an alternative medicine dating back to ancient times. Being used as a panacea (medicinal for everything) in some cultures, one American Indian name for the plant translates to “life medicine.” And recent research indicates that this name may not be far from true! The chemical analysis of Plantgo Major reveals the remarkable glycoside Aucubin. Acubin has been reported in the Journal Of Toxicology as a powerful anti-toxin. There are many more highly effective constituents in this plant including Ascorbic-acid, Apigenin, Baicalein, Benzoic-acid, Chlorogenic-acid, Citric-acid, Ferulic-acid, Oleanolic-acid, Salicylic-acid, and Ursolic-acid. The leaves and the seed are medicinal used as an antibacterial, antidote, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antitussive, cardiac, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, haemostatic, laxative, ophthalmic, poultice, refrigerant, and vermifuge. Medical evidence exists to confirm uses as an alternative medicine for asthma, emphysema, bladder problems, bronchitis, fever, hypertension, rheumatism and blood sugar control. A decoction of the roots is used in the treatment of a wide range of complaints including diarrhoea, dysentery, gastritis, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, haemorrhage, haemorrhoids, cystitis, bronchitis, catarrh, sinusitis, coughs, asthma and hay fever. It also causes a natural aversion to tobacco and is currently being used in stop smoking preparations. Extracts of the plant have antibacterial activity, it is a safe and effective treatment for bleeding, it quickly stops blood flow and encourages the repair of damaged tissue. The heated leaves are used as a wet dressing for wounds, skin inflammations, malignant ulcers, cuts, stings and swellings and said to promote healing without scars. Poultice of hot leaves is bound onto cuts and wounds to draw out thorns, splinters and inflammation. The root is said to be used as an anti-venom for rattlesnakes bites. Plantain seeds contain up to 30% mucilage which swells in the gut, acting as a bulk laxative and soothing irritated membranes. The seeds are used in the treatment of parasitic worms. A distilled water made from the plant makes an excellent eye lotion.

Plantain Herbal Folklore and History: Native Americans carried powdered roots of Plantain as protection against snakebites or to ward off snakes. Plantain was called Englishman’s Foot or White Man’s Foot as it was said to grow where ever their feet touched the ground – this is referred to in Longfellow’s ‘Hiawatha.’. Some old European lore states that Plantain is effective for the bites of mad dogs, epilepsy, and leprosy. In the United States the plant was called ‘Snake Weed,’ from a belief in its efficacy in cases of bites from venomous creatures.

Plantain Recipes

Healing salve: In large non-metallic pan place 1lb. of entire Plantain plant chopped, and 1 cup lard, cover, cook down on low heat till all is mushy and green. Strain while hot, cool and use for burns, insect bites, rashes, and all sores. Note: used as night cream for wrinkles.

Article by Deb Jackson & Karen Bergeron

Plantain Medicinal Properties and Herbal Use

Plantain is edible and medicinal, the young leaves are edible raw in salad or cooked as a pot herb, they are very rich in vitamin B1 and riboflavin. The herb has a long history of use as an alternative medicine dating back to ancient times. Being used as a panacea (medicinal for everything) in some cultures, one American Indian name for the plant translates to “life medicine.” And recent research indicates that this name may not be far from true! The chemical analysis of Plantgo Major reveals the remarkable glycoside Aucubin. Acubin has been reported in the Journal Of Toxicology as a powerful anti-toxin. There are many more highly effective constituents in this plant including Ascorbic-acid, Apigenin, Baicalein, Benzoic-acid, Chlorogenic-acid, Citric-acid, Ferulic-acid, Oleanolic-acid, Salicylic-acid, and Ursolic-acid. The leaves and the seed are medicinal used as an antibacterial, antidote, astringent, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, antitussive, cardiac, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, haemostatic, laxative, ophthalmic, poultice, refrigerant, and vermifuge.Medical evidence exists to confirm uses as an alternative medicine for asthma, emphysema, bladder problems, bronchitis, fever, hypertension, rheumatism and blood sugar control. A decoction of the roots is used in the treatment of a wide range of complaints including diarrhoea, dysentery, gastritis, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, haemorrhage, haemorrhoids, cystitis, bronchitis, catarrh, sinusitis, coughs, asthma and hay fever. It also causes a natural aversion to tobacco and is currently being used in stop smoking preparations. Extracts of the plant have antibacterial activity, it is a safe and effective treatment for bleeding, it quickly stops blood flow and encourages the repair of damaged tissue. The heated leaves are used as a wet dressing for wounds, skin inflammations, malignant ulcers, cuts, stings and swellings and said to promote healing without scars. Poultice of hot leaves is bound onto cuts and wounds to draw out thorns, splinters and inflammation. The root is said to be used as an anti-venom for rattlesnakes bites. Plantain seeds contain up to 30% mucilage which swells in the gut, acting as a bulk laxative and soothing irritated membranes. The seeds are used in the treatment of parasitic worms. A distilled water made from the plant makes an excellent eye lotion.

I infused some olive oil with plantain leaves last summer, but hadn’t used the oil. I was planning on salve, I wasn’t sure how to use it, I’m new at this – all the usual excuses apply. About a month ago, I noticed I was getting an itchy rash on my arms where I had gotten a little too much sun while gardening. I got a little pinker than I probably should have, too. Enter the plantain oil. At the very least, I figured it would “do no harm”, so I spread it on the rash and sunburn. Within a matter of days, the rash was gone, and the burn turned to tan – it didn’t peel. Success!

I had this strange little patch of dry skin near my eyes for the longest time – on went the plantain oil to that, too. That one took a little longer (about two weeks), but it’s cleared up now, too.

Use Plantain to Treat Bites and Stings

Next target -wasp string. I was at my Great Uncle’s house scrubbing egg off a plate with a metal scouring pad, when “the pad” stabbed me. I set the scrubber down and out crawls a large black wasp. (Bill told me after the fact that, “Oh yes, he had seen some of those around.” I guess it didn’t like being used to scrub plates. My finger started swelling and burning. I started running cold water on the sting, and hollered for my son to run outside and grab some plantain. He comes back in a matter of minutes with a nice, healthy leaf, and into my mouth it goes. Chew, chew, chew - spit it out – onto the bite. The worst of the pain started subsiding within minutes. I wrapped the green blob onto my finger with a band-aid and left it there for the rest of the afternoon and evening. (Plantain tastes very green, in case you’re wondering.)

Here’s what the sting looked like at the end of the day:

Note: insect damage is very clear, but there is no sign of inflammation or swelling (no welt). There was no pain at all the following day. Three days later and I’m sporting two dots, that’s it. The last time I was stung, I remember wearing the welt for several days. This was so much better.

To recap:

To use plantain leaves for bites and stings -

Find a clean leaf

Chew or otherwise mash it to release juices

Apply to affected area until pain/itching subsides

Fast forward to an evening in the garden with a voracious cloud of mosquitoes. I rubbed herbs on my exposed skin, but they bit right through my shorts! I must have had at least 20 bites on my tush. I considered posting a picture of my backside, but that would have been a little too much information. Oh man, did it itch! I took a quick shower and coated all my bites with some plantain oil. Again, within a matter of minutes, the pain and itching subsided.

How to Make Plantain Infused Oil

First, gather up a bunch of plantain leaves, preferably unmarked. I visited my brother recently and he had some enormous plantains. (My brother now lives in grandma’s old house.) Some of the leaves were nearly the size of a sheet of paper. The bugs seemed toe prefer the larger leaves, so I ended up with somewhat smaller ones, but several were still HUGE compared to the ones that grow in my garden. Here’s one of them next to a quart Mason jar for comparison.

I gave these a thorough wash. I know some herbals say not to wash your herbs before using because you may decrease potency, but if you look at the sediment in the bottom of the wash basin, you can see why I did in this case.

Ew… I don’t eat this (although I could), but I still don’t care for all that grit. I usually prep enough to fill a quart Mason jar at one time. After a run through the salad spinner and patting dry with a towel, I stack up piles of leaves on the cutting board and do a nice chiffonade. *Note: You want these as dry as possible to help prevent mold in your infusion.

First you stack -

Then you roll -

Then you slice -

You’re looking for plenty of exposed surface area. Place the chop herb into a clean, dry jar and fill with olive oil. Make sure all the plant material is submerged in the oil, and poke around in the jar with a chopstick or knife to eliminate air pockets. Screw on the lid. Label the jar with the name of the plant, the plant part (if you have many oil going), the kind of oil used and the date. Keep the jar of infusing oil at room temperature and on a surface that will not be ruined by seeping oil. Some of the texts I have read recommend a sunny window sill, and I have deep sills in my kitchen, so that’s where mine live.

Mix the contents of the jar daily (or give it a good shake). After several days it will start to smell like pepperoni – this is normal. Decant the oil (strain out the plant material) in four to six weeks. I use myjelly bag strainer.

Allow the decanted oil to settle for a few days, then bottle the finished oil in dark jars. You may get sediment or water in the bottom as the oil settles – try to keep this out of your finished product by pouring off the oil carefully. Seal the bottles, label, and store in a cooler, dry, dark place. (I keep mine in a laundry room cabinet, which might not be ideal, but it seems to keep just fine.) I have purchased some storage bottles, but I also save my extract bottles from the kitchen and clean and reuse them for oil storage.